Method and apparatus for producing untrimmed container bodies

ABSTRACT

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and method for producing untrimmed container bodies from pre-cut metal blanks. The method involves cupping a pre-cut metal blank by positioning the blank against an immovable draw punch comprising an annular body having an inner surface adapted to form a redraw die and an outer surface, and drawing a periphery of the blank over the outer surface of the draw punch with an encircling draw die to form a cup having an open end, a closed end and an interior. The cup is then inverted and redrawn by forcing a redraw punch into the closed end of the cup to draw the closed end through the redraw die until the cup is inverted to form an inverted cup with a closed end supported on the punch. The inverted cup while supported on the redraw punch is passed through one or more ironing rings to lengthen the inverted cup to form an untrimmed container body having a closed end. The closed end of the untrimmed container body is shaped by engaging the closed end of the untrimmed container body with one or more end shaping tools while supported on the redraw punch. The apparatus comprises tools, actuators and a solid support structure adapted to carry out the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the production of container bodies made ofmetal. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methodsfor forming untrimmed beverage container (can) bodies, particularly suchbodies made of aluminum and aluminum alloys. Untrimmed bodies of thiskind as subsequently trimmed and provided with a container end closureto create a competed container.

II. Background Art

Beverage container bodies are generally produced in two forming stepscarried out in different machines. The first step involves cutting aflat circular blank from a sheet of metal and creating a shallow cupfrom the blank in a drawing operation. The second step involves reducingthe cup diameter and thinning and elongating the sides of the cup toproduce a full-length container body by redrawing and ironingoperations. Ironing involves passing the redrawn cup (supported on apunch, mandrel or the like) through a number of dies or rings ofprogressively smaller diameter to thin and stretch the sidewalls of thecontainer body. The container body is then normally trimmed and shapedat the open end and provided with a closure in the form of a generallyflat can lid. The metal for the container bodies is normally supplied tothe fabricator in the form of a metal coil or roll and the fabricatorstamps circular flat metal pieces or blanks from the metal roll as partof the overall container body forming operation. This produces asignificant amount of metal waste in the form of a flat web withpunched-out circular holes. The metal waste is normally returned to themetal supplier for recycling, but this is an inefficient procedurebecause it involves transporting a certain percentage of metal first tothe fabricator and then from the fabricator back to the metal supplier.In circumstances where the metal fabricator and can body producer arelocated in different countries, some governments apply taxes or dutieson both metal sheet imports and scrap metal exports, thus furtherreducing the economic benefit of supplying the metal in the form ofcontinuous sheet.

In addition, the indicated two-step procedure is not fully efficientbecause an intermediate product (a shaped cup) is created in one kind ofapparatus and is then transferred to a second kind of apparatus (aredraw and ironing machine) for the second stage of the process. Thiscan result in significant wastage of both time, factory floor space andinvested capital. Moreover, the redraw and ironing operations oftencannot produce container bodies of consistent thickness and unwrinkledappearance because there is often an unwanted degree of play between thepunch, die and ironing elements that creates non-uniformity inproduction. This play is often produced because the redraw die operatesunder considerable force and the operational end is necessarilypositioned at quite a distance from the driven end where the punch isheld and receives its driving force (e.g. from a hydraulic piston).Consequently, a degree of flexing of the punch may take place thatresults in play at the operational end.

Attempts have been made in the past to overcome some or all of thesedisadvantages, but problems still persist.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,044 granted on Jan. 26, 1965 toHenrickson discloses a process in which flat round metal blanks or workpieces are pre-formed and then fed into can body-forming apparatus. Thecan body is then produced by a single drawing step, followed by ironingstages and a bottom-forming step. Accordingly, the procedure stillrequires a multi-stage operation, even though the use of round metalblanks may reduce metal waste generated during the forming process.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,881 granted on May 22, 1973 to Donald C. Grigorenkodiscloses apparatus that drawing, reverse redrawing, and ironing stepscarried out essentially in a single operation. In this case, however,round metal blanks are punched out of a continuous strip of metal as afirst step. Additionally, the apparatus is arranged such that thevarious moving components may encounter a high degree of play, thereforeresulting in a lack of uniformity in the can bodies thus produced, oreven a degree of metal wrinkling or seaming during the drawing andironing procedures.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,031 granted on Mar. 22, 1988 to Bulso, Jr. et al.discloses apparatus which creates a can body by a drawing, reverseredrawing and ironing operations. However, the ironing operation iscarried out in a different machine than the drawing and reverseredrawing operations.

There is therefore a need for an improved beverage container formingmethod and apparatus that overcomes at least some of the disadvantagesmentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment provides apparatus for making an untrimmedcontainer body from a pre-cut metal blank. The apparatus includesshaping tools and actuators for operating the tools with sufficientforce for shaping the blank into an untrimmed container body, and asupport structure for supporting the shaping tools and actuators whileallowing necessary movements of some of the tools. The supportstructure, which may be made of steel, cast-iron, aluminum or othermetal or strong material, is preferably sufficiently strong to resistflexing when subjected to the forces required for container production,and preferably provides a rigid support so that various tools can beheld without movement, flexing or play as the container is formed.

The shaping tools include a combined draw punch and redraw die having anannular body including an inner surface, an outer surface and an endsurface at an operational end of the annular body that initiallycontacts the blank. The end surface and the outer surface togetherfunction in use as a draw punch, and the inner surface (at leastimmediately adjacent to the end surface) functions in use as a redrawdie. The annular body is fixed (preferably rigidly) on the supportstructure against movement relative thereto during use. Despite its lackof movement relative to the support structure, the annular body mayfunction as a draw punch because it cooperates with a movable draw diethat shapes the blank on the draw punch. The draw die preferablycontacts the surface of the blank opposite to the surface contacting thedraw punch and has a die surface dimensioned to encircle the outersurface of the annular body of the draw punch with a spacing effectivefor cupping of the blank therebetween. The draw die is movable in usealong the outer surface of the annular body from the operational endtowards an open opposite end, thus forming a cup from the blank.

The tools further include a redraw punch comprising a cylinder having anouter surface dimensioned to penetrate the operational end of theannular body at a spacing from the inner surface thereof effective forredrawing the cup. The redraw punch is thus movable at its leading endinto the open end of the annular body to invert the cup to thereby forman inverted redrawn cup having an open end and a closed end supported onthe redraw punch. One or more ironing rings are positioned adjacent tothe open opposite end of the annular body and are aligned with theannular body, thus being positioned to iron an outer surface of theinverted redrawn cup supported on the leading end of the redraw punchafter the leading end emerges from the open end of the annular body, tothereby lengthen the sides of the inverted redrawn cup to form anuntrimmed container body having a closed end.

The tools also preferably include a container body end shaper positionedin spaced alignment with the one or more ironing rings to contact theclosed end of the untrimmed container body supported on the leading endof the redraw punch, the shaper being profiled to shape the closed endwhen the closed end is forced thereagainst by the redraw punch.

The apparatus preferably includes a holding or gripping device forgripping the untrimmed container body as the redraw punch is withdrawnfrom it, and a device for removing the thus-liberated untrimmedcontainer body from the apparatus for further processing.

By commencing the forming operation from a pre-cut flat metal blank, thedistance between the leading end of the redraw punch and the operationalend of the annular body of the combined draw punch and redraw die can bekept small (just wide enough to receive a flat metal blank fed in fromone side). This means that the supporting structure and the redraw punchcan be made shorter that would be the case if a pre-formed drawn cupwere used as a starting point. A shorter supporting structure and,particularly, a shorter redraw punch means that the apparatus is lesslikely to encounter flexing and play under the forces required for theforming operations, thus producing more regular container bodies. Theneed for a separate cupping apparatus is also avoided because initialcupping is integrated as part of the operation. Furthermore, bycommencing from a pre-cut metal blank rather than a flat metal sheet,the operator of the apparatus may be supplied with blanks pre-cut at ornear the fabricator of metal sheet, thus avoiding the need to transportwaste metal over large distances and across country borders.

The tools of the above apparatus may further include an annular drawholder confronting the annular draw die and adapted to grip a peripheryof the blank between the annular draw holder and the annular draw diewith a force that allows the periphery to be withdrawn and guided duringdrawing of said blank. As the blank is drawn into a shallow cup, theannular draw holder keeps the periphery of the blank in contact with theannular draw die, but nevertheless allows the perhiphery to be pulledout of such contact as the walls of the cup being formed. The forceapplied to the draw holder may be applied by means of a spring or othermeans, such as a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement.

The tools of the apparatus also preferably include an annular redrawholder confronting the operational end of the combined draw punch andredraw die. This is adapted to grip an outer part of theinitially-formed cup between the holder and the operational end of thecombined draw punch and redraw die with a force that keeps the outerpart to be held against the operational end but allows the outer part tobe withdrawn and guided during redrawing of the cup. The annular redrawholder may also have an inner annular surface dimensioned to surroundand support the outer surface redraw punch, thus assisting with theminimization of flexing of the leading end of the redraw punch byproviding lateral support as the redraw punch performs the redrawoperation. For similar reasons, the redraw punch may pass through anarrow aperture in the supporting structure, the sides of which providesguidance and support for the redraw punch as it carries out the redrawand ironing operations. The redraw punch passes through the aperture andis supported at and driven from an end opposite to the operational endof the redraw punch. The redraw punch preferably has a length no greaterthan the distance between the aperture and the end shaper of thecontainer body.

In order to allow further minimization of the length of the redrawpunch, the end shaper may be spaced from an end one of the one or moreironing rings by a distance that provides only minimal clearance betweenthe open end of the untrimmed container body thus formed and the end oneof the ironing rings when the redraw punch is extended fully. Similarly,the ironing rings, when there is more than one, are preferablypositioned as close as possible together and to the open end of theannular body. There is therefore minimal spacing between these elements.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said redraw punch passes through anaperture in said support structure and is supported at and driven froman end opposite to said operational end.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method ofmaking an untrimmed container body from a pre-cut metal blank. Themethod involves cupping a pre-cut metal blank by positioning the blankagainst an immovable draw punch comprising an annular body having anouter surface and an inner surface adapted to form a redraw die, anddrawing a periphery of the blank over the outer surface of the drawpunch with an encircling draw die to form a cup having an open end, aclosed end and an interior. The cup is then inverted and redrawn byforcing a redraw punch into the closed end of the cup to draw the closedend through the redraw die until the cup is inverted to form an invertedcup with a closed end supported on the punch. The inverted cup whilesupported on the redraw punch is then passed through one or more ironingrings to lengthen the inverted cup to form an untrimmed container bodyhaving a closed end. The closed end of the untrimmed container body isthen shaped by engaging the closed end of the untrimmed container bodywith one or more end shaping tools while supported on the redraw punch.Finally, the redraw punch is removed from the untrimmed container body.

The initial cup is drawn in a direction away from the redraw punch thatcontacts the closed end of the cup, i.e. such that the open end facesaway from the redraw punch. Consequently, the redraw punch cause theinitial cup to be inverted as it is redrawn. That is to say, after theredraw operation, the redraw punch passes through the open end of theinverted redrawn cup and supports the inverted redrawn from theinterior. The draw punch and redraw die is preferably held immobile byfixing it rigidly to a supporting structure. At the start of the method,the leading end of the redraw punch is preferably positioned close tothe operational end of the combined draw punch and redraw die with justenough clearance to allow a pre-cut metal blank to be positionedtherebetween when introduced laterally between these elements.

The apparatus and method are preferably arranged in such a way that thedrawing and ironing operations can be carried out with a minimum amountof play in the apparatus such that uniformity of the container bodies,such as uniform wall thickness, can be ensured. All of the initialcupping, the redraw, ironing and end shaping are carried out in a singleapparatus and the redraw punch requires only a single punch stroke toachieve the necessary redraw, ironing and end shaping steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 to 7 are simplified schematic representations of an exemplaryapparatus showing various stages in the formation of an untrimmedcontainer body from a flat metal blank;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are representations showing apparatus according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention (FIG. 8A), and a modification ofsuch an embodiment intended to commence a forming operation from apre-drawn cup (FIG. 8B), to illustrate a preferred advantage of theexemplary embodiments; and

FIGS. 9A and 9B are photographs of container bodies at various stages ofproduction from metal blanks, FIG. 9A showing stages in a conventionalmethod and FIG. 9B showing stages in a method according to exemplaryembodiments herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention makes it possible, at least in preferred forms, tofabricate an untrimmed beverage container body in a single apparatususing a minimum number of steps and with good precision, preferablycommencing from a round flat metal blank (sized to form an individualcan body without significant waste) rather than from a flat or rolledsheet of metal.

FIGS. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings illustrate various steps in amethod according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention. In theseviews, the apparatus is shown in a simplified form for ease ofillustration and description. It will, however, be appreciated to aperson skilled in the art that a significant amount of ancillaryapparatus and accompanying drive equipment will be required in order toproduce a functional apparatus. Preferably, the moving parts of theapparatus are driven by pneumatic or hydraulic equipment, or possibly bymechanical means (e.g. screw-threaded collars mounted on rotatedthreaded rods, or the like). This kind of supporting and additionalequipment is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,881 mentioned above (thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).

As shown in FIG. 1, a round flat metal blank 10 (which is preferablypre-cut from a metal sheet at another location) is positioned in theapparatus with its periphery aligned between an annular draw holder 11and a confronting annular draw die 12. The metal blank may be introducedinto the apparatus horizontally from one side (e.g. the front or rear inthe orientation shown in the drawing). Inwardly of the tools 11 and 12,the metal blank 10 is also positioned between a combined draw punch &redraw die 13 and a confronting annular redraw holder 14. Still furtherinwardly, the blank 10 is aligned with a cylindrical redraw punch 15having a profiled tip 16 at a leading end 17 thereof. The combined drawpunch & redraw die 13 is rigidly mounted on a supporting structure 18 sothat it is supported by and immovable relative to the structure. Thisensures that the combined punch & redraw die 13 is subjected to no, oronly minimal, movement, flexing and play during the various formingsteps. The other elements just mentioned are movable, as will beexplained later.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 also includes a set of immovable ironingrings 20 of progressively smaller inner diameter in the downwarddirection of the drawing, an annular outer retaining ring 21, and acontainer bottom domer 22. Together, the ring 21 and domer 22 form ashaping tool, or end shaper, for the closed end of the untrimmedcontainer body formed in the earlier steps. These various parts form theprincipal shaping tools of the apparatus and are mounted on thesupporting structure for operation in the manner shown in the subsequentfigures. The redraw punch 15 is held at its upper end (not shown)opposite to the leading end 17 and is moved in an upward or downwarddirection by a hydraulic piston/cylinder device, or an equivalentactuator (not shown). The domer 22 is fixed in place on the supportingstructure 18 and is immovable during the various operations but theretaining ring 21 is movable. Various load-producing elements 23A, 23B,23C represented as coil springs in the drawings provide controlledforces and pressures on the workpiece during the forming operation.These elements (or at least some of them) may actually be springs, butmore typically are pneumatic or hydraulic piston/cylinder combinationsused to apply loading during the various operations of the embodiments.

During the initial drawing operation, annular draw die 12 is driven withconsiderable force by a drive element (not shown), e.g. a hydraulicpistion/cylinder combination. The redraw holder 14 is also driven by anactuator (not shown) so that it may be raised against the force ofelement 23A to allow the flat metal blank 10 to be inserted into theapparatus. Thereafter, the holder 14 may be allowed to descend onto thesurface of the blank.

It will be noted that the combined draw punch & redraw die 13 is in theform of a single annular body 25 having an inner surface 26, an outersurface 27 and an end surface 28 at an operational (upper) end 29 of thetool. As will be more apparent from the subsequent description, the endsurface 28 and the outer surface 27 co-operate to form a draw punch, andthe inner surface 26, at least at its upper end that has a smallerdiameter than the remainder, forms a redraw die.

FIG. 2 shows the blank 10 clamped firmly between the draw holder 11,draw die 12, the combined draw punch & redraw die 13 and the redrawholder 14 at the start of the shaping operation. The clamping iseffected by downward movement of the elements 12 and 14 from thepositions shown in FIG. 1. It will be noticed from FIGS. 1 and 2 thatthe redraw holder 11 has a slight recess at its inner end that exactlymatches the outer diameter of the blank 10. This facilitates the properalignment of the blank in the apparatus.

FIG. 3 represents an intermediate stage of a first or initial step ofthe shaping operation in which the draw die 12 is moved downwardly withconsiderable force from an actuator (not shown). The draw holder 11,presses the periphery of the blank against the surface of the draw die12 under the action of the element 27. The draw die 12 has an innersurface 30 shaped and dimensioned to encircle the outer surface 27 witha spacing effective for cupping the blank 10. The draw die 12 movesalong the outer surface 27 of the combined draw punch and redraw die 13and commences to draw the periphery of the blank 10 into the shape ofcup, forming a sidewall 31 from the blank 10. As the initial cuppingoperation proceeds, the periphery of the blank is progressively drawnout of the cooperative gripping engagement between the draw die 12 andthe draw holder 11. The completion of this operation is shown in FIG. 4in which the metal blank 10 has been drawn into a shallow-sided initialcup 10A having an open end facing down (away from the redraw punch 15).

The next step of the method is shown in FIG. 5 in which the redraw punch15 is forced (as shown by the arrow) into the bottom 32 of the initialcup 10A of FIG. 4 to penetrate the open operational end 29 of theannular body 25, thus initiating a redraw operation to produce a redrawncup 10B of smaller diameter than the initially drawn cup 10A. As thisoperation proceeds, the periphery of the initially drawn cup 10A isgradually pulled between the cooperating surfaces of the redraw holder14 and the combined draw punch & redraw die 13. The redraw punch 15 hasan outer surface 35 that is of smaller diameter than that of the innersurface 26 of the combined punch and redraw die 13 by a dimensionsimilar to the metal thickness effective for the illustrated redrawingand inversion step. As already noted, the inner surface 26 adjacent tothe operational end surface 28 may be of slightly smaller diameter thanat positions further along the annular body 25 (as shown) to avoid unduefriction between the inverting cup and the annular body 25 as theoperation proceeds.

Referring to FIG. 6, as the redraw punch 15 is moved downwardly evenfurther and passes through the open opposite (lower) end of the annularbody 25. The inverted redrawn cup 10B is supported on the leading end 17of the punch 15 and it is caused to pass through the series ofprogressively narrower ironing rings 20, thereby elongating and thinningthe sidewalls 31B of redrawn cup 10B to form an elongated container body10C. The operational surfaces of the ironing rings may be fed with asuitable lubricant during the ironing stage of the operation, e.g. fromsuitable conduits or glands (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 7, at the end of the downward stroke of the redrawpunch 15, the bottom 32B of the container body 10C is shaped between theprofiled cooperating elements of the tips 16 of the redraw punch 15 atits leading end 17, the bottom domer 22 and the outer retaining ring 21(which is yieldably supported by the element 23C, preferably a spring,and is free to move under the force of the redraw punch 15 towards thedomer 22 to a final position as shown in FIG. 7). The deformation of themetal thereby produced provides the container body 10C with a shapedbottom end. The profile thereby imparted is effective to provide thecontainer with greater rigidity and to make it better able to resistoutward forces produced by liquids under pressure (e.g. carbonatedbeverages) eventually held within the container.

The shaped but untrimmed container body thus formed may then be removedfrom the apparatus by conventional removal equipment (not shown) afterthe redraw punch 15 has been raised and withdrawn from the containerbody. For example, the apparatus may be provided with a gripping orholding device that holds the container body as the redraw punch 15 iswithdrawn upwardly, and the same device or another may remove theuntrimmed container body, thus liberated, from the apparatus.

The container body may then be subjected to a conventional trimmingoperation at the open end to provide the container body with a desiredlength, and then a necking operation (shaping of the open end of thecontainer), coating and/or decorating steps, pre-filling (ifappropriate) and closure (incorporation of a generally flat lid elementat the open end of the container body to produce a complete container).These steps are carried out in other apparatus and are conventional, andthus not illustrated.

As noted earlier, the combined draw punch and redraw die 13 is heldfixed and immovable throughout all of the illustrated steps of themethod by virtue of being rigidly mounted on the supporting structure 18of the apparatus. In addition, the redraw punch 15 may be keptrelatively short because the redraw starts from an inverted cupconfiguration. As the redraw punch is normally supported at its upperend, e.g. by a rod extending from a piston and cylinder device (notshown), the shorter the punch, the less it will be subject to sidewaysmovement and play at the tip 16. Thus, not only is a complete untrimmedcontainer body created in a single apparatus, but the apparatus may bemade desirably rigid at those parts subject to the greatest forcesduring the various operations, thereby ensuring uniformity of theresulting container bodies (wall thickness and lack of wrinkling andseeming). It is estimated that the stroke length of the redraw punch maybe 5-30%, more normally 5-20%, less than that required for conventionalapparatus that commences with a pre-formed cup. For example, a standard22 inch punch stroke required for a conventional apparatus can bereduced to 18 or 19 inches in equivalent apparatus according to theexemplary embodiments. This effect is illustrated by FIGS. 8A and 8B.FIG. 8A shows an apparatus equivalent to that of FIG. 1. FIG. 8Billustrates a modification of the apparatus of FIG. 8A intended tocommence a forming operation using a pre-drawn cup 100 rather than apre-cut flat blank 10. To accommodate insertion of the cup 100 into theapparatus, not only does the supporting structure 18 have to be madelonger, but also the punch 15 has to be made longer by an amount X (theheight of the initial cup). This would increase the likelihood ofuncontrolled play and flexing during the forming operation.

Other measures may be taken to keep the length of the redraw punch 15 asshort as possible. For example, the ironing rings 20 may be placedclosely together, and the domer 22 may be positioned as close aspossible to the ironing rings, leaving only sufficient clearance toallow the untrimmed container body 10C to be removed from the apparatus.

It will also be noted that the redraw punch 15 is supported somewhatagainst lateral flexing by the inner surface of the redraw holder 14,which closely surrounds the outer surface of the punch, and furthersupport for the punch may be provided by the narrow aperture 40 in thesupporting structure 18 through which the punch extends.

FIG. 9A is a photograph showing a container body at various stages offormation according to a previous shaping method, and FIG. 9B shows acontainer body at equivalent stages of preparation according to theshaping method described above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 7. It is tobe noted that, in FIG. 9A, the cup shown on the extreme left hand sideis in an upturned position compared to the other stages shown in thephotograph, i.e. in the forming operation, the cup would start with theopen end facing up in order to form the other intermediate stages shownto its right. This initial cup is formed in other equipment. In FIG. 9B,the initial cup on the left is shown in the correct orientation, and isformed during a first stage of the method in the apparatus shown. Theinversion of the cup caused by the redraw operation is clearly apparent.

It is found in at least some exemplary embodiments that the draw andredraw steps may be carried out as quickly as just the draw operation ofa conventional container body fabrication apparatus. This is because ofthe shorter travel of the redraw punch 15 (by an amount equivalent tothe height of the cup).

The apparatus of the exemplary embodiments may preferably operate at athroughput speed of 200-700, more preferably, 400-500 containers perminute. Normally, the diameter of the pre-formed metal blank ispreferably within the range of 3-24 inches (7.6-61 cm), more preferably3-12 inches (7.6 to 30.5 cm), more even more preferably 4.5-8 inches(11.4 to 20.3 cm). The initial metal gauge of the blanks is preferably0.007-0.08 inches (0.178-2.03 mm), more preferably 0.009-0.025 inches(0.229-0.635 mm). The cup/redraw cup height is preferably 0.5-12 inches(1.3-30.5 cm), more preferably 1-6 inches (2.5-15.2 cm), and thecup/redraw cup diameter is preferably 0.75-6 inches (1.3-15.2 cm), morepreferably 1-4 inches (2.5-10.2 cm). The force required to carry out thedraw or redraw operations is normally 1,000 to 10,000 lb.f., morepreferably 1,500-7,000 lb.f.

1. Apparatus for making an untrimmed container body from a pre-cut metalblank, comprising: shaping tools and actuators for operating said toolswith sufficient force for shaping said blank into an untrimmed containerbody; and a support structure for supporting said shaping tools andactuators while allowing necessary movements of some of said tools;wherein said shaping tools include: a combined draw punch and redraw diecomprising an annular body having an inner surface, an outer surface andan end surface defining an opening at an operational end of the annularbody that initially contacts said blank, said end surface and said outersurface together functioning in use as said draw punch, and said innersurface functioning in use as said redraw die, said annular body beingfixed on said structure against movement relative thereto during use; adraw die having a die surface dimensioned to encircle said outer surfaceof said annular body at a spacing effective for cupping of said blank,said draw die being movable in use along said outer surface from saidoperational end to form a cup from said blank; a redraw punch comprisinga cylinder having an outer surface dimensioned to penetrate said openingat said operational end of said annular body with a spacing from saidinner surface effective for redrawing said cup, said redraw punch beingmovable at a leading end thereof into said opening and through saidannular body to invert said cup to thereby form an inverted redrawn cuphaving an open end and a closed end; one or more ironing rings alignedwith said annular body and positioned to iron an outer surface of saidinverted redrawn cup supported on said leading end of said redraw punchafter said leading end passes through and emerges from said annularbody, to thereby lengthen said inverted redrawn cup to form an untrimmedcontainer body having a closed end; and a container body end shaperpositioned in spaced alignment with said one or more ironing rings tocontact said closed end of said untrimmed container body supported onsaid operational end of said redraw punch, said shaper being profiled toshape said closed end when said closed end is forced thereagainst bysaid redraw punch.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said toolsfurther include an annular draw holder confronting said annular draw dieand adapted to grip a periphery of said blank between said annular drawholder and said annular draw die with a force that allows said peripheryto be withdrawn and guided during drawing of said blank.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said tools further include an annularredraw holder confronting said operational end of said combined drawpunch and redraw die and adapted to grip an outer part of said cupbetween said holder and said combined draw punch and redraw die with aforce that allows said outer part to be withdrawn and guided duringredrawing of said cup.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said annularredraw holder has an inner surface that contacts and provides lateralsupport for said outer surface of said redraw punch.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said end shaper is spaced from said one or more ironingrings by a distance that provides only minimal clearance between saiduntrimmed container body and said one or more ironing rings when saidredraw punch is extended fully thereagainst.
 6. The apparatus of claim1, having two or more of said ironing rings, said two or more ironingrings being positioned next to each other with minimal spacingtherebetween.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said redraw punchpasses through an aperture in said support structure and is supported atand driven from an end opposite to said operational end.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein said redraw punch has a length no greaterthan a distance between said aperture and said container body endshaper.
 9. Apparatus for making untrimmed container bodies from pre-cutmetal blanks, comprising: shaping equipment for said blanks comprisingtools, including a draw die, a combined draw punch and redraw die, adraw holder, a redraw punch, a redraw holder, one or more ironing rings,a container body bottom domer and an outer retainer ring, as well asactuators for moving tools with sufficient force for shaping said blanksinto container bodies; a structure for supporting said shaping equipmentwhile allowing movement of some of said tools necessary for making saidcontainer bodies; wherein: said combined draw punch and redraw diecomprise a single annular body having an inner surface, an outer surfaceand an end surface at an open operational end of the annular body thatinitially contacts said blanks, said end surface and said outer surfacetogether functioning in use as said draw punch, and said inner surfacefunctioning in use as said redraw die, said annular body being fixed onsaid structure against movement relative thereto during use; said drawdie has a die surface dimensioned to encircle said outer surface of theannular body at a spacing effective for cupping of said blanks, saiddraw die being movable in use along said outer surface to form cups fromsaid blanks; said redraw punch comprises a cylinder having an outersurface dimensioned to penetrate said open operational end of saidannular body at a spacing from said inner surface effective forredrawing said cups, said redraw punch being movable at a leading endthereof into said open operational end and through said annular body toinvert said cups as they are redrawn to thereby form inverted redrawncups having open ends and closed ends; said container body end domer andouter retainer ring are positioned in spaced alignment with said annularbody to contact said closed ends of said inverted redrawn cups supportedon said leading end of said redraw punch, and to shape said closed endswhen forced thereagainst by said redraw punch; and said one or moreironing rings are positioned between said annular body and said bottomdomer and are aligned effectively to iron outer surfaces of saidinverted redrawn cups supported on said operational end of said redrawpunch as said punch moves toward said bottom domer, to thereby lengthensaid inverted redrawn cups and form untrimmed container bodies.
 10. Amethod of making an untrimmed container body from a pre-cut metal blank,comprising: cupping a pre-cut metal blank by positioning the blankagainst an immovable draw punch comprising an annular body having aninner surface adapted to form a redraw die and an outer surface, anddrawing a periphery of the blank over said outer surface of the drawpunch with an encircling draw die to form a cup having an open end, aclosed end and an interior; inverting and redrawing said cup by forcinga redraw punch into said closed end to draw said closed end through saidredraw die until said cup is inverted to form an inverted cup supportedon said punch, said inverted cup having a closed end; passing theinverted cup while supported on said redraw punch through one or moreironing rings to lengthen said inverted cup to form an untrimmedcontainer body having a closed end; shaping said closed end of saiduntrimmed container body by engaging said closed end of said untrimmedcontainer body with one or more end shaping tools while supported onsaid redraw punch; and withdrawing said punch from said untrimmedcontainer body.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said closed end ofsaid untrimmed container body is shaped by engaging said closed end witha domer shaped to form an inwardly-extending dome at said closed end,and a support ring to conform a periphery of said closed end to aprofile of said redraw punch at a leading end thereof.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, wherein said annular body, said ironing rings and said endshaping tools are positioned relative to each other to minimize distancerequired to be traveled by said redraw punch when forming said untrimmedcontainer body from said cup.